This book was so sweet and funny with the perfect amount of emotion to make the story have great depth but still be a lighthearted read overall. The writing is so damn funny, and I found myself relating to Margot’s internal monologues because the way she thinks is a lot similar to the way I think. Margot is delightfully weird, and some of the one-liners she came off with had me laughing out loud. I did notice some mixing of metaphors (ex. “My outrage has slowly deflated into humiliation with a steaming hot side of disappointment in myself”) but it oddly works because the book is just so damn funny.
Having a narrator who is hyper-aware of the romance tropes taking place/being set up in the plot is such a fun twist on a rom-com. I was a little worried it would be overly cliche, but it was self-aware in a way that was, again, so damn funny. The ending was lovely and didn’t feel rushed. Overall, an awesome little rom-com and highly recommend!!

Publish to Goodreads on 3/23/25

This is an ARC review thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly had no idea what to expect from this book. The title piqued my interest and the cover was very cute. It was nice to have the main characters (male and female) both have family members they were caretakers for. This is what made the book stand out for me. A romcom book that wasn’t about single people with no responsibilities. It was nice to have a perspective that people can fall in love even when they have a lot on their plates. Romance is not always easy and life happens and this book demonstrates that and proves that love can conquer all. It wasn’t TOO hallmark like and it was able to keep me guessing at parts in the book. There was a situation that happened that I did not see coming and was a good turn in the book. The spice in this was written very tastefully. Overall, this book was a breath of fresh air in the rom com world. I also enjoyed how the author highlights how romcom readers keep the book world going! So true! Highly recommend.

I did not like the main character at all. I found myself cringing at parts and I found her very entitled and I just couldn’t get into it. The premise and the cover drew me in but I found myself not wanting to pick it up.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review 💕.

Rating 4.25 ⭐️

This book was so amazing and let me just say BRUTALLY HONEST. I can relate to Margot on many levels including constantly putting other people’s needs in front of my own (a sick parent included). I have also had one to many heartbreaks in life and am ashamed to admit that if I were Margot I would’ve done the same thing with the alternate endings list to all of her HEA’s. Watching Margot’s career come to a halt after this was exposed to readers was nail biting to say the least and I was extremely nervous to see how she would grow with a trip to Alaska.

Forrest.. Oh Forrest the man you are seriously! The chemistry between Margot and Forrest had me kicking my feet and swooning. The pining after each other while trying to also ignore the fact that they wanted each other so badly was just *chefs kiss*. Forrest is all of the romance heroes mixed into one and wow did he deliver. Such a humble, loyal, caring, compassionate, loving and family man. Did I mention he’s a doctor?

The romance between these two was amazing I enjoyed every second of it and the fact that every single romance trope possible was in here made it so much more fun!!! The tent scene? OH MY GOODNESS. THE SAUNA?! EXCUSE ME?! Permanently etched into my brain.

Margot’s realization of HEA’s being not only something that people think of as forever but being also something/someone that could change your life even in a short period of time was so heartwarming and refreshing.

While I was feeling like this was a 5 star read for me a few things made it fall a little shorter for me. The conflict that I felt could’ve been avoided with additional communication, the somewhat rushed ending - I would’ve really liked to know how the Alaska release went and if their relationship lasted. I think an epilogue would’ve helped tie things up for us readers and would’ve given us some additional closure. I also feel like I would’ve enjoyed maybe one more additional excursion and maybe at least one more feature of Bullwinkle.

Overall, I flew through this. Amazing and will definitely be obtaining a physical copy.

Cute, predictable, well written. A solid winter romance book!
Extra points for being a book about an author

Any Trope but You landed on my Favorites shelf on Goodreads before I even finished it! That's how much I adore this book and I even preordered it so I can have a physical copy for my bookshelves (aka my trophy case). Thanks, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

Margot is our FMC and she's a successful romance author that holds a deep dark secret - she doesn't really believe in Happily Ever Afters. Her "Happily Never Afters" file becomes exposed and the romance community she built are so hurt over the revelation. Her sister, Savannah, books her a 6 week stay in a remote lodge in Alaska so that she can get away and write a new book. A romance book? Nah, her goal is to pivot to a completely different genre - murder mystery!

Margot arrives at the North Star Lodge and gets spooked by a very scary bear (nope, not a bear) and leaps into the arms of the lodge owner's son, Forrest. How's that for a meet cute? Margot is the queen of writing tropes so seeing her encounter instances of them with Forrest was so freakin' hilarious.

Something about me is that I was born and raised in Alaska and I still call this place home. This book truly gives you the vibes that you're in The Last Frontier during the dead of winter. I'm honestly a hermit during our long ass winters but it inspires me to want to be outside. :)

I laughed several times while reading this, to the point where I'm pretty sure mini earthquakes registered on the Richter scale. Haha!

But not only did I laugh, I also cried. Margot and Forrest's loved ones are going through some serious life conditions. I adored our main character's relationships with their families.

I think the only thing that would have made this book even better for me is if there was an epilogue at the end. I hope to see The North Star Lodge again in the future.

I can't wait to see what Victoria Lavine comes out with next!

4.5 🤩

This was CUTE! For all my avocado-loving California girls at heart that just want to fall in love in the wilds woods of Alaska.

The premise of this was too cute. A romance writer retreating to Alaska after cancel culture gets her. It took me a bit to get into it! There was a lot of focus on romance “tropes” and the inner monologue felt long to me as point that I skipped over a few paragraphs. 🫣 buuuuuuuut I really loved it too? The plot was creative and I fell in love with all the characters. Honestly, I think this would make a GREAT movie!

They say alls fair in love and war, but what about if you think a HEA is never for you? Buckle up, you’re all about to book a remote resort trip to Alaska in hopes of finding your own Forrest. 🫎🌲

This was just awww shucks feeling so darn cute while also packing on some steam ! And seriously laugh out loud funny!! I wish I would’ve read this more in winter cuz it’s giving all the cozy winter Alaskan vibes. I am so happy we got two POV, seeing our MMCs side really helped move this book too. Even tho our FMC is seriously delightful! The spice scenes, the one tent and the sauna like !! And regardless of the cliche trope every two minutes this book made it work. My only gripe is the third act break up hurt my heart a little too much, I feel he was rather mean in it and in real life not sure I’d forgive him for things he said

Romance author Margot is on a live podcast when her happily never after file is hacked and given out to the live stream. It’s her hidden away secret folder, where her happily ever after couples end up divorced, angry and unhappy. She loses her fan base and her publisher and her life is really in the dumps, but after being burned by men so many times, she doesn’t always believe in happily ever after, even if she writes them. Her sister sends her to remote Alaska to be away and find herself. Through weekly wilderness adventures and rewards of a letter from home, Margot begins to find herself, but she has also found Forrest, the lodge owners son, the walking romance novel hero, and the two of them fall into trope after trope after trope. Can happily ever afters be real?

I really enjoyed Margot. She was likeable, while also being real with her flaws and feelings. I found I could relate to her and feel along with her. The story was lovely, I laughed, I welled up, and I enjoyed most of the steps along the way. Lovely debut.

Thanks to Net Galley and Atria for the advanced copy

I loved the premise of this book—romance writer “cancelled” because she’s outed as someone who doesn’t believe in love and escapes to Alaska to try writing a new genre only to be confronted with every romance trope in the book. I will admit that I was a little worried that the author wouldn’t be able to pull it off, that it would be too cliche. But this book was funny, witty, and had a ton of heart, not just the relationship between Margot and Forest but between each of the main characters and their family. They were both grappling with very real and relatable reasons for what’s keeping them apart. However, the third act felt rushed, which made their HEA feel a little less earned for me.

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Atria Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Any Trope But You was absolutely wonderful and has everything you could ever want in a romcom! Such a delightfully heartfelt, sweet, humorous, and spicy read. I loved everything about this debut novel!

Margot is a bestselling romance author, but after her happily never after file, a document in which she rewrote all her books to remove the happy endings, leaks, she is in shock and struggling. Her younger sister books her a trip to a wilderness resort in Alaska to help her rebrand. There, she meets Forrest. He is her ideal type and meets all the romance hero requirements. Forrest, who left his job as a cancer researcher, works at the resort to take care of his disabled father. He absolutely does not want to get involved with a guest. As time goes on and Margot and Forrest experience a myriad of tropes, they begin to wonder if their growing attraction is worth pursuing despite all of the risks.

Overall, this was an all-around amazing book! From the emotional depth, to the humor, to the romance, Any Trope But You perfectly encapsulates what makes romance reads so special and fun. The chemistry between the MCs, the setting, as well as the supporting characters all work to make this so great. The pacing was perfect, the writing style was so good, and the ending was wonderfully written! Highly recommend this one to all contemporary romance readers!

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Romance author FMC
- Doctor MMC
- Snowed in

This book had me from the first page. The romance was swoony and beautiful, the backstories were rich and soulful. The different types of families and family dynamics were represented without judgment, and the ongoing theme of sacrificing to care for family members was so sad and gorgeous. I laughed, I cried, and I might now be in love with this MMC.

4.5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a cute refreshing romance. Margot being your typical set in her ways FMC meets Forest who looks like every fictional man she’s ever wrote come to life. Their banter and chemistry was balanced just right for this plot.
I adored that even though there was probably every popular trope come to life in their story that it wasn’t cheesy.
Definitely recommend to anyone that is looking for a nice clean romance with a dash of spice 😉

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was an adorable book! I can't believe that this was Victoria Lavine's first novel...she is a fantastic writer. If you love romance books by Abby Jimenez or Emily Henry, I can guarantee you will just adore this book!

Additionally, if you enjoy audiobooks, the audiobook version of this book is set to be narrated by Tim Paige and Jesse Vilinsky! I can't wait to listen to it!!

This is exactly what I want in a romance!!! The pining??? The angst??? The off the charts chemistry??? YES!!!! Any Trope but You was borderline perfect and I have exactly zero notes. I love Margot and Forrest to pieces. I’m absolutely floored this is the author’s debut, it’s that good. I don’t think I’ll stop thinking about this book for a while - in the best possible way. Also…those intimate scenes? *chef’s kiss* I think the development of Margot and Forrest as characters was so well done. They both had layers and a realness to them that brought them to life. I wish I could read this again for the first time because it was such a great experience. If you haven’t preordered this yet…what are you waiting for????

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for sending me an early copy!

This one was really cute! I loved that the male main character was the definition of all of the female main characters tropes she writes in her books. A really cute premise and a great debut novel! The characters were charming and there was just enough spice. I can’t wait to read whatever Victoria Levine has up her sleeve next.

margot bradley escapes to remote alaska as a means to reinvent herself after a hacker exposed her for not believing in the happily ever afters she writes. forrest wakefield is a walking, talking trope - everything about him screams too good to be true, but is he or is that just a front?

someone needs to buy the rights to turn this into a movie right now so i can add it to my list of comfort watches. this book was INCREDIBLE. the banter, the spice, the heavier topics that forced the characters to grow - a masterpiece.

margot’s character was hilarious - her inner monologues & ramblings had me absolutely cackling. i loved that she called attention to all of the blatantly obvious tropes, comparing them to books she’d written in the past. forrest was quite literally the perfect mmc, i have absolutely no notes on him, i only wish i got more of his POV.

i loved how both characters had the purest understanding for each other - like they were quite literally made for each other. there were moments where the lightheartedness of calling out the absurdity of their situation almost eased the difficult topics in the book without overshadowing them. it’s hard to explain but i finished the book feeling lighter, despite having bawled my eyes out one chapter earlier.

i am absolutely in awe with this book - i would have never suspected this was a debut but i can say with confidence that i cannot wait for the next one.

This book had me giggling and smiling throughout the whole book! It was so much fun reading it! This book is about a best-selling author, Margot who doesn’t believe in true love anymore after a heartbreak and led her to write a secret file of “happily never after”. This file was leaked to her dedicated readers and she received so many backlash. Her sister, Savannah who has a chronic autoimmune disorder sends her away to a remote resort at Alaska hoping she will heal and find herself. She meets the hot resort owner and doctor, Dr. Forrest Wakefield who is there to help his ailing father. They experience many romance tropes that you can think of and fall deeply in love with one another. What I enjoyed the most about this book is that the author threw in many common romance tropes and twisted them which made it super entertaining and funny. I also love the sisterly bond between Margo and Savannah and the family bond of Forrest and his father. Their unconditional love for their family was an important aspect of the story. Given that both Margot and Forrest are caregivers for their family members, they both relate to each other that no one can understand. Both characters put their family first before their own happiness. Their journey involved learning that it’s okay to love one another and have their own happily ever after while still being there for their loved ones.

It’s amazing this is a debut novel! It exceeds so many of my expectations! It had strong character development and many deep emotional themes - caregiving, personal sacrifices, and family relationships. With the many adventures that Margo and Forrest experienced, I am ready to book a getaway to the Alaskan wilderness!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books & Victoria Lavine for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Like meets like in this incredibly well written debut. I mean- I love a good "opposites complement each other" romance as much as the next person- but this showed the beauty of meeting your heart's match. The empathy, the understanding- even at the cost of losing it all. Sigh.

And the entertainment value in this book for romance readers is top notch! Tropes on tropes on tropes in the most ironic ways possible!

I think this book will easily be in a top ranking for me for 2025.

I enjoyed the humorous way this romance explored the tropes of the genre. The only quibble I have is with Margot's behavior at the beginning of her wilderness challenges, when she does things like trying to make a fire without opening the flue rather than accepting the host's help, or deciding not to pack items from the list of camping essentials that's been given her. I mean, I get that she's a fish out of water, but come on! It irritates me when the FMC just behaves like an idiot. However, in the later part of the story I started to like her much better. The writer explores the trauma that both main characters endured and how it affects their relationship in a way that is touching and not too heavy or too glib. The supporting characters add substance to the story, themes of self-sacrifice, resilience, and finding courage to fail and try again shine through the narrative, and the romance unfolds believably, for the most part. All in all, an enjoyable, well-paced read.